Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a strut for a wheel suspension of the MacPherson type, comprising a shock absorber with a body and a rod. The rod is surrounded by a coil spring. The coil spring is mounted preloaded between a bottom seat of a lower spring retainer secured to the shock absorber body and an upper seat of an upper spring retainer through which the shock absorber rod passes. The shock absorber body is mounted securely to a hub carrier defining an axis of rotation of the wheel.
Document EP-O 780 250 A2 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,459 describe a precise adjustment of a MacPherson suspension strut, using adjusting means arranged on the strut and preferably employing an appropriate measurement bench. To obtain correct operation of the strut, the shear force applied to the shock absorber rod has to be precisely controlled. To achieve this, it is known practice for the axis of the spring to be inclined with respect to the axis of the shock absorber rod with an inclination that is calculated to minimize the shear force on the shock absorber rod. However, it is also known that the resultant of the forces exerted by the spring is liable to exert a moment about the pivot axis, which moment has to be well controlled.